NEWS

New authority to book Ganga polluters

Union water resources ministry
has moved a proposal to establish a new authority that will have power to
monitor and penalize industries polluting Ganga and its tributaries. The draft
proposal has been circulated to Ministry of Law for its comments. Union
Minister Uma Bharti said that the authority will have power to take action
under the section five of the Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986. At
present, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) under the Ministry of
Environment and Forests (MoEF) can take action against the polluters. According
to ministry, the need was felt as now they cannot take action against any
polluting industry directly and have to approach CPCB. Sometimes investigation
by CPCB was found to be shoddy and incorrect, said a ministry official. The
autonomous authority will have powers to spend money, besides that of taking
action against polluters.